Blessings:Student Loans

For some reason, my student loan payments went down this month.  I don't know why.  I'm on the income-based repayment program.  Why did they re-calculate my payment?  I started paying for my car insurance this month.  Is that why God's giving me a break?  Even though I've been doing this for over two years now, Im still amazed when things like this happen.

SO FAR $49.80
$21.52 Amazon
10%=$2.15
+$49.80
=$51.95

Blessings

I've been very happy in Jesus this week.  I'm grateful because I think I found a service corps through which my student loans can be paid off.  It's one of the things I've been dreaming about.  No more student loans!  I am never acquiring debt ever again- no student loans, no auto loans, no mortgage.

SO FAR:$26.54
$50 gift card
$182.55 clothing sale
=$232.55
10%=$23.26
+$26.54
=$49.80

Blessings and a Missed Opportunity

I missed an opportunity this week.  My dad was talking about his view of the tithe which is" something that you do when you make a lot of money" and is not applicable to our family.  I think he and my mom together make $80,000 or at most $90,000.  Now that they only have one child living with them, I would say that's a very nice income.  I think I made about $34,000 last year and I gave between 16-17%.  I really wanted to say hat to him.  However, my parents pay for my phone bill and my car insurance.  If my dad knew how much money I give to charity when he still pays some of my bills, he would've been furious.

So, upset about this missed opportunity, I told my dad that I would start paying what I can for the car insurance.  It'll have to come out of the money I was saving every month.  I think I'll reduce my giving back down to 10% until I can pay for both car and my phone.  Then I'll work on increasing my giving again.  I'm going to stop tithing on my insurance benefits and my sick/holiday/vacation pay.  Out of the extra blessings, I'll subtract my missionary support and my child sponsorship.  I know I'll still have money "left over," maybe $25-50 monthly. I still want to give to Orphan's Tear.  I want to see God's miraculous provision in my life.  I actually have less financial stress when i live this way.  

I'm disappointed that I can't aim for giving 20% of my gross income this year, but I think this will be a better testimony to my parents.

SO FAR: $29.86
$10 bag check
$23.42 cashback
$200 trans
$133.40 bills
=$366.82
10%=36.68
+$29.86
=$66.54
-$40 missionary support
=$26.54

2013 In Review

In 2013, I managed to give 16-17% of my income (gross).  My goal for the year was 15%.  I'm shocked that I was able to give that much.  According to my calculations, God provided me with an extra $12,600 in blessings (gifts, extra income, grocery saving, rebates, etc) last year.

I think in 2014, my goal is to give 20%.  I'm going to tithe on vacation/sick/personal/holiday pay.  I think that should be enough to push it up to 20%.

Here's a rough estimate of my 2013 stats:
Earned $34,000 (gross)
Gave $6,000
Saved $3,000

Concerns for 2014:
I'm on income-based repayment plan for my loans.  I have a feeling my monthly payment will go up this year.  I also want to start paying for my own car insurance.  Technically, I have  room for that sine I save $250/month but it'll really eat into my savings.  I'm not saving as much as I want to as it is.

SO FAR: $6.42
$50 rent
$10 gym
$390.38 vacation pay
$30 phone
$4 Amazon
$100 car ins
=$584.38
10%=$58.44
+$6.42
=$64.86
-$35 World Vision child sponsorship
=$29.86